PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 186, 6 August 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FKOM THE GAMJBBY-

tSj Teiegrapfc.—Parliamentary Bcportcr.) WELLINiGTOH', Tuesday. DROPPED DOWN. The Land and Income Assessment Bill, over which the Houae was so much exercised last week, has ■been removed from ita prominent place on the order paper. It now stands tenth on the list, last but one of the Government measures before 4he House. SOTJTH ISLAND LAIQKiISS NATIVES The problem of landless natives in tbe South Island is to engage the Government's attention. The Hfetise Affaire Committee has recommended for favourable consideration to-day a petition from 77 natives who wish to have returned to them an area of land at Alton, Waihou, formerly owned by them. A judgment of the late Judge Fenton exists in regard to the matter, and the Native Minister stated that he thought the Lands Department should carry this out. The award, however, should only affect the natives named in it.

"Wlrv not open np the-"whole question of South Island natives claims f' suggested Mr. Russell. The Minister's answer was that they had not decided to appoint a Royal Commission to deal with the whole question Of landless natives, or to introduce legislation. The matter wanted looking into, and a Royal Commission might be tbe beet way. FOR THE WIVES OF WORKERS. Mr. Poland has intimated his intention to ask the Minister in Charge of Hospitals whether he has considered the question of establishing maternity hospitals in all towns with a population of five thousand or over, and providing the Tight of free treatment in the caae of the wives of all men earning not more than 10/ per day. and, if not, wiH he favourably consider this question?

HAURAKI PLAINS SETTLEMENT.

Mr. Poland desires the MSnieter of PnbKc Works to say whether lie will instruct the engineer in charge of the Waihou River improvement works to proceed at once with the erection of stop banks from the southern end of the Ngararabi canal for a distance of five miles up the river, so that the Lands Department may be able to open up for selection the valuable Awaiti block of 1,938 acres of Crown land adjoining Netherton, and the opening of which, the Minister of Lands states, is awaiting the completion of this work. COAL FACILITIES AT OPTJA. Mr. Reed has given notice io ask the Minister of Railways whether the Railway Department is not retarding the development of the Opua port by neglecting to provide facilities for the handling of coal at Opua, and seeing that the Northern Steamship Company has been applying for these facilities ever since the through line was opened (that is, for over three years) whether he does not think it is time that something was done. HOUSING MINISTERS. Ministerial residences in "Wellington (according to a return asked for by Mr. Campbell) have cost £13,736 for upkeep during .the last ten years. The furniture is valued at £4,980. During the last ten years £5,094 has been returned to the State 'By * 3ilinteteis' occupying 'tit*' residences who wouH otherwise* have received house allowances. RACECOURSE DETECTIVES WANTED. Inspector Wilson, of Wanganui, suggests in hU annual report that as there are in nearly all towns a number of men who make books on races, and it is almost impossible for the local police to dnal with such offences, perhaps it would be possible to organise a sraall section of the detective branch of the service to take the matter in hand throughout tht Dominion. He is confident it would greatly abate the trouble. A scheme somewhat similar to this has been working in Victoria for some time.

A TREASURY BILiS TRANSACTION. An explanation of an interesting transaction in Treasury bills was given by the Minister of Finance in Parliament to-night. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Co. advanced £50,----000 to the Government on Treasury bills at 3£ per cent for four months, at a time when the Government had to pay 4 per cent for most of its shortrdated accommodation. The Minister explained that the reason why the New Zealand oompany gave such good terni3 was that it held. the large sum awaiting advances against wool, and that it had no use for it during the time it was converted into Treasury bills.

THE RAW MATERIAL. Commissioner CaUen answers the question in his annual report on the Police Department, in which he states that sixty-eight men were taken on during the year, their nationalities, religions

and occupations being as follows: — Nationalities: Australia 2, England 10, Ireland 15, New Zealand 26, Scotland 15. Religions: Baptist 1, Brethren 1, Gliureh of England 19, Presbyterian 26, Roman Catholic 18, Wealeyan 3. Occupations: Artillerymen 2. Bakers 2, 'Blacksmiths 5, clerks 2, ex-constables, 30, farm labourers. 7. labourers 11, ploughmen 2. railway surfacemen 2. storekeeper, weaver, carrier, engine-driver, and joiner, 1 each. THE HALF-HOLIDAY PROBLEM.

Evidence of the way in which the weekly half-holiday question ie agitating opinion in Ane.kla.nil as the result of the introduction of compulsory closing on Saturday continues to come before Parliament, and when the Labour Bills Committee tukes evidence on Friday touching the Shops Amendment BUI a pretty formidable array of arguments for and against the status quo will bs on hand. To-day two more petitions were presented to the House on the subject.

Mr. Bradney laid a petition beiore the House, 6igned by 4,999 Auckland citizens, asking that the lav/ be so amended as to make it optional for shopkeepers to close on Wednesday or Saturday. A petition presented by Mr. Glover touched on the exemption aspect, 1.016 signatories praying that all hotels he compelled to close their bars at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Several Auckland business men have

; also arrived at Wellington to give cviI dence before the committee on Friday in favour of a reversion to the optional system. JOTTINGS. Mr. Hani? has recpjvipd word from the Postmaster-iGeneral that authority has been given for the extension of the telephone line, from Birkenhead to Birlcdale en<s Waironi. and that the work of installation wfll proer-ed shortly. Mr. Glover has asked the Postmaster- ■ General if he intends Co reduce the rate [ for telephone* at Auckland,